Breaking the Habit
by ms.fredweasley
Summary: songfic- Zuko and Aang get into a huge fight over Katara. With all of the bending going on, Katara is burned. Infuriated, Aang goes into avatar state and almost kills Zuko. They reflect on the events-Aang avatar state-Zuko anger issues.Post Sozen's Comet


**Songfic #2! Whoot! **

***huff* This took me FOREVER to do, but it's finally here! The idea just came to me while listening to the song. It is my first Avatar fic.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar, Breaking the Habit, or Linkin Park**

(Present_, __**song lyrics, **__flashback/thoughts_) I really hope you can follow along. =)

**Aaaaand…ACTION:**

* * *

**Breaking the Habit**** By: Linkin Park**

Zuko put his hands on his knees, breathing deeply. After coughing up some more water, he inhaled, and then fell onto his bed.

He had just almost been killed.

_**Memories consume**_

_"Whoa!" Katara yelped as she tripped over Sokka's conveniently placed foot. Zuko ran towards her, putting his arms out. He caught her just as she was about to fall._

_"Thanks," she said, blushing._

_"Anytime…"_

_**Like opening the wound**_

_Next thing he knew, Katara was out of his arms and he was face to face with Aang._

"_What do you think you're doing?" Aang said, accusingly._

"_What?"_

"_This is the third time this week you 'saved' Katara."_

"_So? What of it?" Zuko said, temper rising._

"_I think you're trying to steal my girlfriend!" Aang said, rather loudly._

"_Well think again!" And the battle began._

_**I'm picking me apart again**_

"_Stay away from my Katara!" Aang yelled, blowing Zuko into a cliff._

"_She's not your Katara!" Zuko said, hurling more fire at Aang. Aang just barely got out of the way in time._

"_Zuko, Aang, STOP!"_

_They ignored her and kept on fighting._

_**You all assume**_

_**I'm safe here in my room**_

"I am NOT losing Katara to 'airboy'!" Zuko yelled, accidentally shooting flames onto his bed.

_**Unless I try to start again**_

Again, he had to take deep breaths. Why was it so hard to keep that damn temper down?

_"Guys, please!" Katara yelled, placing herself between Zuko and Aang. Suddenly, she was dodging flames and rocks._

_"Katara, get out of the way!"_

_"Not until you—" she was cut off as a rock hit her head. She became dizzy and couldn't move very quickly. She saw the glow of orange, but couldn't get out of the way in time. She put her hands up, and as the fire touched her, she let out a scream._

_"KATARA!!"_

Zuko slammed his fists on the table in frustration.

_This was all Aang's fault. Katara doesn't even like Aang! He doesn't care what she thinks, as long as he has her in his little avatar hands! At least I actually care about her!_

There was steam coming out of his nostrils and his fists were sparking.

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**The battles always choose**_

Realizing his anger again, Zuko sighed.

'_**Cause inside I realize **_

_**That I'm the one confused**_

_But what if Katara doesn't even like me that way? I shouldn't just take her, like Aang did. He never even asked her to be his girlfriend, he just assumed it. I would never take advantage of her like that._

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**Or why I have to scream**_

_I can't believe I overreacted that way. Why did I even start that fight? Now Katara is hurt, and Aang will probably lock himself up in his room for the rest of his life. _

_Well, that might not be so bad. _Zuko smiled, slyly.

_Wait, I don't want that…_

_**I don't know why I instigate**_

_**And say what I don't mean**_

_It would be my fault if Aang never came out again._

_"What kind of Avatar are you?" Zuko snarled, "You are supposed to be protecting the world, but instead, you spend your time trying to kill someone who just might show Katara how pathetic you really are!"_

Zuko shook his head, ashamed. His temper never did anything for him. He had let his anger consume him; he had let this happen his whole life.

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I know it's not alright**_

"_Zuko, please, there is an easier way to figure this out. Come and have some tea, and we'll talk about it." Iroh suggested, gesturing for Zuko to sit down._

"_Uncle, do you even care about how I feel? All you care about is your stupid tea!" Zuko pushed the tea pot over, spilling it all over the ground._

"_Zuko, calm down, before you do something really careless."_

"_No, you're the one who is careless. You've never cared about me. You just needed someone to replace your son! Well guess what, I am not your son!"_

_All Uncle ever wanted was for me to find my way, and I never appreciated him._ Zuko shook his head, ashamed. _I have to stop taking my anger out on other people._

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

_I've already given Uncle enough grief for a lifetime; I won't do the same for Aang and Katara._

_**I'm breaking the habit, tonight**_

* * *

Aang ran into his room and began barricading the door before anyone could come in and try to talk to him.

_**Clutching my curve**_

_**I tightly lock the door**_

"Aang, we need to talk," Sokka's voice was heard on the other side of the wall.

"Go away," Aang shot, "I need to be alone right now!"

_**I try to catch my breath again**_

He took deep breaths, trying to calm down. Aang couldn't let Sokka in, not when he was this on edge; not after what he had just done.

Aang had tried to kill Zuko.

_**I hurt much more**_

_**Than anytime before**_

_Zuko had no air. Aang was holding a bubble of water around his head. Zuko was going to die. He deserved to die. He had hurt Katara, and he was going to pay. Aang watched Zuko as he frantically flailed his hands out._

_**I have no options left again**_

"_Katara, are you okay?!" Aang jumped off of his plateau and flew toward his girlfriend. Katara was kneeling on the ground, crying and holding her arms close to her._

"_Katara!" Aang saw Zuko running toward them. How dare he come near them! He had just hurt Katara, and now he was coming closer?_

"_Get out of here, Zuko," Aang shouted, "Katara's hurt. We don't need you're help."_

"_Katara, let me see," Zuko pleaded as he drew closer. Katara held out her shaking hands. Both boys gasped. They were very dry, with rough, red streaks. As Aang saw the red marks, his emotions took over. His arrow glowed ice blue and his body began rising._

"_YOU!" he screamed at Zuko, "You hurt Katara!! You burned her!!" A tornado was forming around him. Zuko backed away in fear. "You're going to pay!"_

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**The battles always choose**_

Aang put his head in his hands. He didn't understand how he slipped into the avatar state. During Sozen's Comet, he learned how to control when he went in and out of it. _It's been two months since I was in the avatar state. Why is this still happening to me?_

'_**Cause inside I realize**_

_**That I'm the one confused**_

_It must've been Katara. I've never really thought about Zuko and Katara. Now that it's in front of me, it's another problem I keep running from._

Aang gasped. What if this kept happening? After all of this war, what if it starts again. What if he becomes so preoccupied with Katara that he forgets about the rest of the world? He would be neglecting his duty as the avatar.

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**Or why I have to scream**_

_What if I cause Zuko to turn against me? How far will our fighting go? We wouldn't go to war over Katara, would we?_

_**I don't know why I instigate **_

_**And say what I don't mean**_

"I almost killed Zuko…," Aang whispered to himself, and a tear rolled down his cheek, "I almost killed one of my best friends"

_**I don't know how I got his way**_

_Poor Katara… she never liked it when I got into one of my avatar rages. I always come so close to hurting people. I can't continue like this._

_**I'll never be alright**_

_I have to learn to control the avatar state._

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

_Not just for Katara, but for everyone else I might hurt._

_**I'm breaking the habit, tonight**_

* * *

Sighing, Zuko brought his clothes together. He filled his bag with his belongings. _This is my only choice._

_**I'll paint it on the walls**_

He couldn't stay with Katara and Aang, or Sokka and Toph for that matter. If he couldn't control his anger, he didn't want to be near people he loved.

'_**Cause I'm the one at fault**_

Aang wiped his tears away. He had to deal with his problems in order to insure control. After taking a few deep breaths, he sat down, and began going over what the Avatar Guru told him.

_**I'll never fight again**_

He thought about Katara. Aang needed to deal with his feelings. _I need to let Katara make her own decision. If she leaves me, I need to be able to handle it. _Aang inhaled, trying to suppress his feelings.

_**And this is how it ends**_

Zuko gave his room one last look. With a sigh, he walked out.

* * *

"Katara, I need to talk to you," Aang said hesitantly, "I wanted to apologize." Katara turned away from her water and looked into Aang's eyes.

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

"I am so sorry I lost control like that. I was just so worried about you. I wasn't thinking, literally. I'm sorry I let my anger cloud my better judgment."

_**Or why I have to scream**_

Zuko passed Sokka, and stopped. Sokka looked up and seeing him, holding his bag, he understood. Zuko nodded at Sokka who sadly nodded back. As Zuko was about to pass Toph, he saw her tearing up. He went up to her and gave her a warm hug, before continuing on.

_**But now I have some clarity **_

_**To show you what I mean**_

"Aang, I know how hard it is for you," Katara whispered, sympathetically.

"I am learning to control it, though," Aang assured her, "I just need to learn to get my priorities straight."

_**I don't know how I got this way **_

_**I'll never be alright**_

"We'll all help you," Katara offered. Aang looked up. She was giving him the warm smile that he loved so much. She held out her arms, and he hugged her back.

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

As Aang held her, she saw Zuko in the distance. As the tears fell, she mouthed "Goodbye".

_**I'm breaking the habit**_

Zuko looked back to see Katara one last time and he saw her mouth the words. Understanding, he let a tear roll down his cheek.

"I'll always love you, Katara," he whispered, before turning around and leaving, forever.

_**I'm breaking the habit, tonight**_


End file.
